Why is KPU so slow?

Why is KPU so slow?

The General Elections Commission (KPU), whose vote-counting
has been painfully slow, seems to be at a loss as to how to
improve its operations. The commission, which was responsible for
all the preparations for the June 7 general election, has been
criticized for its many shortcomings.

Now even more people are lashing out at the commission for its
painfully slow ballot counting. Some KPU members say that
sluggishness is the order of the day among regional election
committees. The commission has appealed to the public to
understand that those involved in the counting in the regions are
not professionals; nor have been adequately trained.

Organizing the election, which came about after the sudden
downfall of president Soeharto in 1998, was done under great
pressure because many political observers believed any delay
would cause extra problems for the nation.

This caused everything to be done in a great hurry, including
the formation of political parties.

Ambitious politicians made things even more difficult by
setting up political entities with no regard for political
platforms and ignoring changes in society.

The KPU should now take responsibility for the problems that
are causing the announcement of the final tabulation to be
repeatedly postponed.

Reports on Thursday said the KPU had ordered the Indonesian
Elections Committee (PPI) to postpone the national vote
tabulation until the KPU issued a decree to set the date for the
process to begin. But PPI vice chairman Djuhad Mahja rejected the
idea, saying there was no legal basis for the order because the
decision was made outside normal procedure. "It is a product of
an emotional situation," he said.

The controversy appears comical, but it is very real.

Despite the slowness, the KPU is clearly involved in a comedy
of errors in which almost no complaints or irregularities are
fairly settled. The commission also was recently accused of
misusing funds. And in some provinces, political parties have
complained about money politics and other violations involving a
"certain party". The party to which most of the suspicion is
targeted is Golkar, president Soeharto's former election machine.

However, the weakness of the commission lies in its members.
KPU consists of representatives of the 48 political parties, the
majority of whom most Indonesians deigned to ignore in the polls.
Although these "extras" in the national blockbuster called the
general election appear to be of minor significance, they command
a high profile within the KPU.

Another report claims the commission sacrificed an important
agenda in its plenary session after members of the lesser parties
stormed it. The session had been planned to discuss the final
tabulation of the votes, alleged corruption within KPU and
reports of irregularities.

Representatives of the small parties, which won hardly any
House seats in the recent polls, were objecting to statements
they found insulting made by KPU vice chairman Adnan Buyung
Nasution and member Andi Alfian Mallarangeng. The two, speaking
in a personal capacity, suggested that political parties which
failed to garner at least 2 percent of House seats should no
longer be allowed to sit on the commission.

Some political observers claim the statements were logical and
that the parties overreacted.

Many of the small parties seem to be oversensitive lately,
especially after realizing they have no hope of gaining House
seats. But, regretfully, their sour mood is having a dismally
negative impact on the KPU's performance.